Cong backs Mohan Prakash's remarks

Congress on Friday stood behind its state-incharge for Jammu and Kashmir Mohan Prakash on the controversy over chief minister Omar Abdullah's move to revoke AFSPA in some areas of the state which evoked a strong reaction from the party's state cheif Saif-ud-din Soz.

Congress on Friday stood behind its state-incharge for Jammu and Kashmir Mohan Prakash on the controversy over chief minister Omar Abdullah's move to revoke AFSPA in some areas of the state which evoked a strong reaction from the party's state cheif Saif-ud-din Soz.

"This is an issue which has to be decided in consultation with all stakeholders and certainly that includes the Army, central government, the ruling coalition and the state government and others. The view expressed by the AICC incharge for the state, who commented on Soz's view is that of Congress," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

His comments came a day after the ruling coalition partners in Jammu and Kashmir sparred over Omar's move to revoke AFSPA in some areas with Soz alleging he is not consulting all stakeholders including the Army.

In a crisp response to Soz's charge, Omar had said he was well aware of his "responsibilities", asserting that he would not have made the move in "isolation."

Referring to allegations of lack of consultation by Omar with Congress, Mohan Prakash had said yesterday that there was a need for "better coordination" between the two coalition partners but refrained from giving any view on the measure.

"If the PCC President has said something, there must be a reason behind it. We also feel that there is a need for better coordination between the two coalition partners (National Conference and Congress) there," he said.

Singhvi said there was no need for the party to add or substract to it after the PCC chief and the state in-charge have already spoken on the issue.